Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-11-30

y
of deciding what institutions shall
receive the benefits under the Acts
Of Congress. The suggestion is made
whether the assignment of portion
of the sum to be contributed by the
general government to the agricultu-
raj department Of the South Caro-
lima College, to he exclusively used
in agricultural experiments, would
not greatly add to the value of the
work of two experimental stations.
In reference to the Penitentiary
the Governor says: "There are now
on the rolls of the prison, 1000 con-
victs, a slight increase as compared
with the 9S5 at the same time last
year, of whom IS are white males
and white females, and S76 colored
males and 80 colored females. They
are distributed as follows: Seventy
are at work at Pringle's Phosphate
Works, 105 with Messrs. Rice &
Coleman on railroad work in Chester
county, l at the Summerville Brick
Yard, 105 on shoe contract and 50 on
the hosiery contract inside the pris-
on. Ninety-tWo are on the various
farms, and the balance, with the
exception of a majority of the fe-
males and the sick and infirm, are at
work in the prison or on local details.
The board are again compelled to
report the partial destruction Of the
crops on the farms by treshets and
the ravages of the caterpillars, which
has rendered them unable to return
to the treasury this year the loan of
$4,000 advanced to the institution
by the General Assembly at the last
session, and they therefore ask for
an extension of said loan. With
the unfavorable seasons the farms
will yield as the share of the State
about 500 bales Of cotton and 5000
bushels of corn, besides peas, pota-
toes, forage, &c. Had it not been
for the loss, as stated, by high water
and caterpillars, the farming opera
tions, in my opinion, would have
shown large profit and wou Id have
enabled the institution to have readi-
ly met all its obligations. AS it is
tho board thinks that, estimating
solely upon the operations of this
year, the prison has been more than
self-sustaining and has clear net
profit of from three to four thousand
dollars to its credit. The board rec
ommend an appropriation, direct
from the treasury, of 100000, if so
.much be necessary, for the mainten-
ance of the institution for the ensu-
ing year, accompanied with the pro-
viso that all moneys collected by
them be turned over to the State
treasurer. This plan, they think,
will work more smoothly and, in
very many respects, better than the
present one. The law enacted at
your last session, making it the duty
of the superintendent of the Peniten-
tiary to transport all convicts to the
prison from the different counties,
has resulted in a great saving Of
money to the State as of the appropri-
alton of $4,000 for this purpose only
about $1,000 has been expended du-
ring the ten months which the law
has been in force" The Governor
concurs with the board in recon-
mending an increase in the pay Of
the officers of the Penitentiary. The
Governor also concurs with the board
in the opinion that the best plan for
the employment of the convicts of
the State is the purchase of a tract of
land sufficiently large, and as near
as possible to the prison upon which
they could be employed in agricultu-
raj labor after the expiration Of the
present leases and contracts with
other parties. With this suggestion
carried out, all convicts that could
not be hired to contractors or en-
ployed proftably on specific work
under contract could be made to
labor on this farm, which the board
are satisfied would eventually be-
come very profitable. TO this end
they are now negotiating for the
purchase of a tract of four thousand
five hundred acres, situated in Lex
ington county, and about three miles
from the prison. The establishing
of q reformatory institution, in con-
nection with the Penitentiary, for
youthful criminals, is also recon-
mended.
Of the Columbia Canal, after emu
merating the total cost Of the work
to the 31st Of last October, which is
put down at S130,705.69, the Govern
or says that with the exception Of
S6,222.1O contributed by the citizens
Of Columbia, every cent was appro-
priated solely from the surplus earn
ings of the Penitentiary, SO that not
one mill of tax has ever been levied
or collected for the purpose Of de-
veloping to completion an enterprise
of such magnitude and importance
to the industrial prosperity of the
State. The estimated cost of COM
pleting the canal, if the work is con-
Quoted as heretofore, is S42, ,40G.S0 in
cash and Sl27, ,220. 10 in labor, making
total of $1G9,626.9O. Extended al
lusions is made to the benefits to &C.
crue from the completion of the ca
nal, and in conclusion the Governor
suggests the early completion of the
work by the State, or, if this should
be deemed ineXpedient by the Leg
islature, that steps may be taken to
transfer the canal, with all rights,
franchises and OBLIGATIONS, under
such conditions as may be regarded
as most advantageous for the State,
to corporate or private individuals
possessing fully the confidence Of
the people, so as to ensure its speedy
completion.
The affairs of the Lunatic Asylum
have been conducted with the great
est economy. There are now in the
institution 649 patients, 3G0 whites
and 2SO colored.
In regard to the Railroad Com
mission, attention is called to the
advisability of enlarging its powers
so as to enable it to require railroads
within the State to regulate their
rates Of freight traffic within the
State so that the public shall derive
the greatest benefit possible consis-
tent with the interest Of railroad
corporations. Allusion is made to
a recent complaint of the Merchants
Exchange, of Charleston, as illustra-
ting the fact that nearly all of our
railroads having passed into the
hands of parties outside Of the State,
there is strong tendency to keep
local rates in South Carolina too dis
proportionate to the pro rata receipts
by the railroads within the State on
long hauls to and from the North
and West.
The militia of the State is reported
nc hoyinr inpreoSn1 in tho nun her Of